The rationalization of craft beer from medieval monks to modern microbrewers: A Weberian analysis

Abstract

[From chapter Introduction]: In this chapter, I explore how the production of craft beer is thoroughly rationalized and involves a surprising amount of technical expertise and scientific standardization that have become hallmarks of the industry. Borrowing Weber’s insights, I argue that the widespread application of sophisticated brewing techniques is not merely about selling a commodity and making money, per se, but rather reflects an abiding desire to systematically perfect this “craft” and signal to others that one is a legitimate brewer with the necessary expertise. At the same time, I highlight how the rational organization of craft brewing can also have some irrational consequences, such as consumer confusion and intimidation, as well as disenchantment among professionalized taste testers. Finally, building on The Protestant Ethic, I describe how, in small but significant ways, the rationalization of modern brewing can be traced all the way back to the Middle Ages and the religious organization of monastic communities, qualifying medieval monks as the first “revolutionaries” of modern beer brewing.